There is a TV dragon and it flies under a pleasant, colorful family-friendly flag. And as sweet and giggly as it seems, come Emmy time, that dragon rises up to defend its territory, destroying everything in its path and returning home to its lair with a trove of golden statues. That dragon, of course, is America’s favorite comedy, Modern Family. In 2011, Modern Family eviscerated the competition, winning the Emmys for Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Supporting Actor (Ty Burrell), Outstanding Supporting Actress (Julie Bowen), Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series, and Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series. It had many TV fans crying foul, or lambasting the ceremony for being boring and a cake walk for the hit ABC sitcom. So, what gives? Is there really some mystical force that’s keeping Modern Family on top, or have their wins simply made sense? (Even if the victories did make the ceremony a bit of a snooze.) Theory 1: Academy Voters are Lazy First, let's look at the voting process of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences itself. Per Richard Dubin (producer/writer/director, current professor at Syracuse University’s Newhouse School, and member, voter, and finals judge for the Academy), there’s a process in place to keep the voting pool from getting stale. Once the nominations are in place, groups of judges are created in order to decide the winner in each category. Anyone can judge Outstanding Series categories, but smaller groups are formed to judge each individual category. But there’s a catch: You can only judge a category for two years and you can’t judge every category. And you can't fault group thinking for Modern Family's consistent wins — voters receive a packet of DVDs to watch and judge from home. “We used to get together at a hotel to watch the episodes, but that was 10 or 15 years ago,” Dubin says. So, why is this information important? Well, it proves a few things: First, the theory that Emmys voters are stuck in a stale rut doesn’t hold much weight. Even if the Academy members judging, say, the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy category started their two-year stint in 2010, they can’t really be accused of being stale. By 2011, that group would have only been judging for a year prior, and by 2012, a new judging rotation would have kicked in. The system actually prevents factions of voters from giving their favorite an Emmy win stronghold. Secondly, it proves that judges aren’t all watching the footage together in a room, allowing for some kind of collective, hive mentality to form. Take for example, Dubin, who resides on the East Coast, where he teaches at Syracuse. He says he watches his DVD packet at home and sends his votes off to the Academy. And even when they did convene to screen the episodes together, “we didn’t really talk about them,” he says. The theory that Emmys voters are simply lazy and stuck in a rut bites the dust. Theory 2: Modern Family Wins Just Because It’s Popular This theory is a particular favorite among fans of the jilted 2011 Outstanding Comedy Series nominee Parks and Recreation, whose ratings only ever hit a fraction of Modern Family’s. And the ABC show is, without a doubt, popular. It raked in average crowds of 9.37 million and 11.15 million viewers during Seasons 1 and 2, respectively. And if we take a look at the average ratings for each of Modern Family’s 2011 Emmy competitors, it’s clear that the series rises to the top section: The Big Bang Theory: 12.56 million viewers Glee: 11.62 million viewers Modern Family: 11.15 million viewers The Office: 6.72 million viewers Parks and Recreation: 4.75 million viewers 30 Rock: 4.68 million viewersFrom a ratings perspective, Emmy voters certainly seem to be guilty as charged. The family-centric sitcom really is the belle of the ball. Or at least a belle of the ball – nothing seems to be able to best The Big Bang Theory's monumental ratings, except for perhaps Two and a Half Men. But it’s not just ratings that make a show “popular.” Modern Family has the ability to appeal to audiences across many different demographics and even political party lines. Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s wife Ann Romney recently touted Modern Family as her favorite show (even though she apparently doesn’t support Mitch and Cam’s right to tie the knot), President Obama has listed the show as one of his top series to watch, and, in 2010, The Hollywood Reporter listed the series as a favorite of registered Republicans. Bipartisan appeal? That’s a check in the popularity category. As for the critics? Following a riotous wave of applause for the series' first season and a few episodes of the second, critics grew weary of the series. Many claimed it had gotten lazy, relying on the same jokes and episode formula. Many took issue with Cam (Eric Stonestreet), a fan favorite character who suddenly transformed into a whiner in Season 2. Still, that didn’t stop audiences, who flocked to the show in even greater numbers than during Season 1, and it certainly didn’t stop Emmy voters, who delivered five awards to the lovable series in 2011.
As a critic, I can attest that most of us weren’t the popular kids in high school – our opinions are rarely reflected when it comes time to hand out tiaras or statuettes. The people have spoken, and the people love Modern Family. And just like that, the popularity theory gets the thumbs up. Theory 3: Given the Pools of Nominees, It’s Just the Choice That Makes the Most Sense It’s true. When it comes down to the nominated series, Modern Family seems to be the most solid choice in many categories. When it went up against The Big Bang Theory, 30 Rock, The Office, Glee, and Parks and Recreation in 2011, the only real threat from a critical standpoint was Parks. The other four series were either aging or going downhill rapidly, and Parks had a half-season that barely anyone watched. It’s hard to fault voters for choosing the safe bet.
And in the case of the supporting actor and actress categories, the choices were few. Outstanding Supporting Actor in 2011 saw four nominees from Modern Family (Stonestreet, Ed O’Neill, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, and the winner Burrell) and two arguably subpar nominees in Jon Cryer, who’s been playing the same schtick on Two and a Half Men for years, and Chris Colfer, who’s tied his fate to the wildly flailing dramedy Glee. The winner seemed more than likely to come from Modern Family. And while the Outstanding Supporting Actress category wasn’t nearly as overwhelmed by the Pritchett clan, the only real standout other than Bowen and Vergara was SNL’s Kristen Wiig. The Best Choice theory, much like the popularity claim, really checks out. What About This Year’s Emmys? What does that mean for the 2012 Emmys? Are we in for another predictable ceremony? It’s certainly possible, but there are some key factors in place that may tip the scales:1. Kristen Wiig, the Big Movie Star and friend to every funny person ever, just ended her seven-year run on SNL. That may be enough to bump her ahead of Bowen and Vergara, with the caveat that Vergara’s star has grown by leaps and bounds this year. This could be, as many like to label it, “her year.” 2. This one’s a longshot, but New Girl’s Max Greenfield has taken the TV world by storm in just one season. The Supporting Actor in a Comedy award will likely go to a standby (and by that, we mean a Modern Family man), but it was already such a pleasant surprise to see him nominated that the Academy might just surprise us. 3. Modern Family will probably nab the Outstanding Comedy Series trophy again too, considering that it’s up against the old standby, Curb Your Enthusiasm, the forever-a-nominee-never-a-winner Big Bang Theory, the tiny and aging 30 Rock, and Veep (which is more Julia Louis-Dreyfus-driven than it is the year’s best comedy). But it’s the most surprising nominee – Girls, the enigmatic series that has taken pop culture and the television-loving world by storm – that begs an important question: Is the Academy ready to go small when it comes to comedy? They’ve done it for Mad Men and Breaking Bad (which won trophies for stars Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul). Could Girls be that far behind?Still, Modern Family’s situation critically, culturally, and ratings-wise hasn’t changed much since Season 2. It would certainly be the easiest, most logical choice for Academy voters. But hey, their selections have defied logic before (like the time they didn’t give Steve Carell his career Emmy for his last season of The Office and instead handed the award to Jim Parsons… again). Maybe they’ll defy logic in a more interesting way this time around. Or, maybe we’ll be able to splice together pieces of last year’s ceremony with Sunday’s broadcast without anyone noticing. Follow Kelsea on Twitter @KelseaStahler [Photo Credits: Wenn; ABC (2)] More: How the 'Childrens Hospital' Emmy Boost the 'Incestuous' World of Short-Form Comedy 2012 Emmys: Who Will Win and Who Should Win The Creative Arts Emmys 2012: The Winners!

"Uggie the dog was cute, let's face it, but he was just cute, and he did those cute doggie things. But I mean, Reggie - Joe, the actor - thinks, and the audience knows what he's thinking. And I just think he deserved a mention." Actor Tom Selleck is sore his dog from the Jesse Stone TV movies wasn't among the acting pets nominated for a prize at the first annual Golden Collar Awards earlier this year (12). Uggie, the canine star of Oscar-winning movie The Artist, won the grand prize.

In our quest to bring you the best TV content, sometimes we have to look... backwards. That's why we have Thursday TV Throwback, wherein each week our staff of pop culture enthusiasts will be tasked with bringing back some of the best television clips that have been forgotten by time, space and the general zeitgeist.
This week's theme: Catchy '90s Catchphrases!
You know you're watching an old school TV show when the quippy quotables are out in full force. There are dozens of wacky lines from that golden age of sitcommery, from spine-chilling calls of "Feeny!" and "It stinks!" to simple realizations like "Woah!" and "Did I do that?"
Here's what our staff chose this week...
Leanne Aguilera: MR. FEENY! MR. FE-FE-FE-EEENY! Come on. We all know that every first day of school we were praying to have a teacher named Feeny so we could do this call each and every day.
Shaunna Murphy: Kel's "Who loves orange soda?" speech, if only for its mental staying power. Don't act like you've ever been able to look at a can of orange soda without thinking about Kel. Then your mind goes to how sad it is that he disappeared off the face of the earth, his legacy being this speech and Good Burger, while Kenan is on SNL
Kelsea Stahler: My parents loved the way Michelle Tanner said her adorable catch phrase that it actually became a part of my own, childhood vocabulary. They also put me in silly sailor dresses and goofy sunglasses. What I’m trying to say is that I was real-life Michelle Tanner… without the hidden twin sister, giant house in San Francisco, triple father figures, and millions of dollars.
Kate Ward: I'm only saying it because no one else did because it's SO obvious. But you can't not include "D'oh!"
Aly Semigran: "Did I do that?" It's a question I still ask myself to this day.
Matt Patches: "It stinks!"
Alicia Lutes: Uncle Jesse from Full House. As an adult, Stamos has me thinking "have mercy!" every time I see his face.
Marc Snetiker: "I'm the baby, gotta love me!"
Follow Hollywood.com on Twitter @Hollywood_comMORE: Thursday TV Throwback: '90s Couples We Love Thursday TV Throwback: Memorable '90s Commercials Thursday TV Throwback: '90s Cartoon Theme Songs

College. A time to find yourself, grow, branch out, and... endure yet another love triangle. Glee's heroine Rachel Berry has been the object of many a rivalry: Finn vs. Puck, Finn vs. Jesse, Finn vs. Jacob Ben Israel. But a new basis for conflict is on the horizon: with Rachel and Finn still in love, but many miles apart, it leaves their relationship on uneven ground. Fox has announced two new cast members for the upcoming season of Glee, and one will present a bit of a conflict in the realm of the Rachel/Finn department: Dean Geyer (Terra Nova) will play NYADA student Brody Weston, who develops an interest in freshman Rachel. Also joining the Glee cast is Jacob Artist, who will play Puck's trouble-making half-brother. Both actors will appear in the series' season premiere on Thursday, Sept. 13.
More info straight from Fox: Animation Domination is lining up several impressive stars to lend their voices to The Simpsons, the Seth MacFarlane lot, and Bob's Burgers for each program during the upcoming television season:The Simpsons: Zooey Deschanel returns to Springfield as Mary, Bart's estranged wife and daughter of Cletus the Slackjawed Yokel.The Cleveland Show: Kanye West and Bryan Cranston return to the series, with newcomers Nicki Minaj, Bruno Mars, Sofia Vergara and Nick Offerman.Family Guy: Johnny Depp brings his Edward Scissordhands character to Family Guy; Jon Hamm, Kellan Lutz, Elizabeth Banks, Ryan Reynolds, J.J. Abrams, Christina Milian, and Dick Wolf will also make appearances.American Dad: Patrick Stewart returns to the show as Stan's boss Avery Bullock, with Sarah Michelle Geller, Alison Brie, Charlie Day, Nathan Fillion, Danny Glover, and Hogwarts grad Rupert Grint also appearing.Bob's Burgers: Zach Galifianakis will play a department store owner in love with a mannequin; Nick Offerman joins this show as well, along with real life wife (and Parks and Rec ex-wife) Megan Mullally, and Parks costar Aziz Ansari. Jeffrey Tambor, Bill Hader, Sarah Silverman, and Kevin Kline also appear.A piece of unconfirmed news surrounding the HBO series Game of Thrones: Screen Crush mentions Misfits star Iwan Rheon as a possible new cast member. Rheon, who played Simon Bellamy on the outstanding United Kingdom sci-fi series, has been mentioned in attachment to the character Ramsay Snow, a.k.a. Ramsay Bolton, the bastard son of Roose Bolton.
Speaking of superhero veterans: TVLine reports that Jack Coleman, star of NBC's Heroes (as well as a recurring player on The Vampire Diaries), will be taking a role on Castle as a problematic U.S. Senator... kind of like he does on The Office.
Finally, TVLine reports that Hart of Dixie is adding Golden Brooks (Girlfriends) to its cast for the upcoming second season. She will play a recurring character who returns to Bluebell and befriends the main character.
[Photo Credit: Fox]
More:
TCA 2012: 'The Mindy Project' Channels Nora Ephron, 'Game of Thrones' and Michael Scott
True Blood' Villain Denis O'Hare Teases Russell Edgington's New Romance and More
'Love in the Wild' Finale: Let's All Laugh at Ben and Michelle — EXCLUSIVE VIDEO
Casting Roundup

The nominations for the 64th Primetime Emmy Awards were announced this morning, and while there weren't many major head scratchers on the list, there were still some things that could leave you scratching your head. Why wasn't Parks and Recreation star Nick Offerman there this morning to announce the nominees? (Better yet, why wasn't he one of the nominees announced?) Why was American Horror Story in the Miniseries category? Why was Hemingway &amp; Gellhorn nominated... for anything? Why is Emmy host Jimmy Kimmel in his pajamas?
Well, we've got the answers to all your burning Emmy questions right here! (Except for "Can you give Jon Hamm my number?" No, no we cannot.) Check them out below and if you've got any other 2012 Emmy questions, leave them in the comments section!
1. Why wasn't Parks and Recreation star Nick Offerman there this morning to announce the nominees?
There's a reason why Mother Nature isn't on Ron Swanson's Pyramid of Greatness: it keeps Nick Offerman from getting to Los Angeles to announce the Emmy nominations. The actor, who was slated to do the honor, got stuck on the East Coast after the area got slammed by a massive storm and "regretfully" had to miss out on his duties. (For the record, the storm was not a meat tornado.) This year's host Jimmy Kimmel — who showed up in his pajamas. Why? Because it's too damn early — stepped up to fill in alongside actress Kerry Washington (pictured) All for the best, really, as Kimmel got to hear his show get a nod for Best Variety Program, while Offerman inexplicably did not get a nomination, yet again, in his category.
2. Why did American Horror Story get placed in the Miniseries category?
While Ryan Murphy's twisted FX series was eligible to compete in both the Drama Series and Miniseries categories, they wisely chose the latter to avoid competing in the already tight Drama Series race. (Seriously, nothing was getting past Boardwalk Empire, Breaking Bad, Downton Abbey, Game of Thrones, Homeland, and Mad Men.) The same strategy paid off for star Connie Britton, who earned a nomination in the Best Leading Actress in a Miniseries or Movie category. So why was AHS allowed to compete as a Miniseries? The 12-episode first season was actually an anthology (Season 2 will be an entirely new storyline and cast), technically making it a miniseries.
3. How many nominees were also nominated last year?
Comedy was king when it came to repeat nominees. 54% of this year's nominees in the comedy categories were also nominated last year. Of course, Modern Family is largely to thank for that bragging right, as the show itself, as well as all of its adult actors (Ed O'Neill, Sofia Vergara, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Eric Stonestreet, and last year's winners Ty Burrell and Julie Bowen) are all nominated again this year. Melissa McCarthy will vie for another win in Best Leading Actress in a Comedy Series, as will returning nominees Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie), Tina Fey (30 Rock), and Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation). The drama categories saw 40% of last year's nominees return, including four-time Best Drama Series champ Mad Men. (The show will try and win its fifth consecutive Emmy, while up against fellow returning nominees Boardwalk Empire and Game of Thrones.) The Good Wife star Julianna Margulies will try and follow up her 2011 win in the Best Actress race, as returning nominees Kathy Bates (Harry's Law) and Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men) aim for their first.
4. What the heck is House of Lies?
Glad you asked! Much like last year when Matt LeBlanc earned Best Leading Actor in a Comedy Series nomination for a show on Showtime that not many people watch (in his case, Episodes), Don Cheadle's star power and general awesomeness earned him a slot for his performance on the series about a group of cutthroat management consultants.
5. Why was Downton Abbey a miniseries last year and a series this year?
Well, it was quite the scandal, darling! Hup hup cheerio! British things! The PBS series ran, and won, in the Miniseries category last year, even though it was widely considered to be a drama series. Having grown immensely in popularity this year, Downton Abbey decided to play in the big leagues this year and try to stop Mad Men from earning the first-ever Best Drama Series five-peat.
6. Why was Hemingway &amp; Gellhorn nominated? Wasn't it widely panned by critics?
Never underestimate the power of star power. While the Emmys aren't typically as swayed by nominating big stars in mediocre projects as the Golden Globes often do, it seems they were drawn in by the magnetism of Nicole Kidman and Clive Owen. Even with critics unimpressed by the movie (including Hollywood.com's own Matt Patches, who called it "a major missed opportunity") it had a lot of factors in its favor: it aired on HBO, it starred an Oscar winner and an Oscar nominee, and its a biopic. All the ingredients for a nomination. Still, even with the surprise nomination, the only surprise would be if it actually won. The film is going up against critical and ratings darlings such as Game Change, Hatfields &amp; McCoys, and Sherlock.
7. Besides perennial nominee The Amazing Race, how many years in a row have the other reality competition nominees been nominated?
Since the inception of the Emmy Award for Outstanding Reality-Competition Program back in 2003, The Amazing Race has been nominated and won every year, with the exception of Top Chef taking the title in 2010. In fact, the only other show in this category to be nominated every year since 2003 is American Idol. Nay, was. The series was bumped from the race for the first time by newcomer and rival The Voice. Elsewhere, Survivor had a run of return nominations, from 2003 to 2006, while Dancing with the Stars picked up from there and has been continually nominated since 2006.
8. How many other Saturday Night Live stars have been nominated in the acting category in the past?
First things first, let's point out that Bill Hader has made Emmy history today. The SNL MVP has earned the first-ever Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in the show's illustrious 37-year history. Yay Stefon! This being her final season, Kristen Wiig has nabbed a spot in the Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series once again. Aside from Amy Poehler, no other SNL actresses have garnered acting nominations for SNL.
9. Egads, Modern Family! Has any other comedy in history had every single one of its cast members nominated?
Nope! But Cheers got awfully close back in 1990 when Kirstie Alley, Ted Danson, Rhea Pearlman, Bebe Neuwirth, Kelsey Grammer, and Woody Harrelson were all nominated across Supporting and Lead acting categories. (If John Ratzenberger and George Wendt had also earned nods, they would have earned that bragging right.)
10. What happens if Desperate Housewives star Kathryn Joosten wins?
A month and a half after losing her battle to lung cancer, beloved actress Kathryn Joosten earned a posthumous nod in the Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her work on Desperate Housewives. (It is the only major Emmy nod for the dramedy's final season.) Joosten was nominated three times, and won twice, for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her performance as Mrs. McClusky. If Joosten were to win the Emmy, she would be the second posthumous Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series winner, alongside Bewitched star Marion Lorne in 1968.
[Photo Credit: Getty Images]
More:
2012 Emmy Awards: See the Full List of Nominees!
2012 Emmy Awards: Snubs and Surprises!

Emmys season is always an exciting time for any entertainment enthusiast (or as our parents used to call it, "TV junkie") because it's a chance for all dedicated fans to sit back and root for the shows and characters we've fallen deeply in love with throughout the years. And if it's that exciting for us, we can only imagine what the actual nominees must be going through.
So now that the 2012 Emmy Nominations have finally been announced, the writers over at Hollywood.com have reached out to these oh-so talented stars to see how they're dealing with the exciting news.
Here's what some of the nominees had to say:
"As the show enters its last season, I'm gratified to be nominated again by the Academy." — Alec Baldwin (Best Leading Actor in a Comedy Series, 30 Rock)
"I am so honored to be nominated for The Good Wife. The Academy has been very supportive of me over the years and my appreciation is boundless." — Julianna Margulies (Best Leading Actress in a Drama Series, The Good Wife)
"There are so many amazing performances this year by actors I really admire, that it means a lot to me to being included among them.” — Steve Buscemi (Best Leading Actor in a Drama Series, Boardwalk Empire)
"I'm so honored to be nominated in this category of truly awe inspiring actresses . And thrilled Mad Men is recognized for the fifth time." — Christina Hendricks (Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, Mad Men)
"I am honored to be nominated for an Emmy Award for my work as Gustavo Fring in Breaking Bad. It is such a privilege to be part of this new golden age of television. I am especially thankful to the viewers who have tuned in and supported the provocative and profound nature of good story telling." — Giancarlo Esposito (Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, Breaking Bad)
“I’m over the moon to receive my first Emmy nomination. I feel so lucky to be a part of Homeland and am extremely grateful to the writing team for continuing to write such extraordinary roles for all of us. I couldn’t feel more proud to be keeping company with such a fantastic range of talented actors.” — Damian Lewis (Best Lead Actor in a Drama Series, Homeland)
"I was actually awake this morning when they announced the Emmy nominations thanks to my newfound need to pee several times a night. Finally, my enlarged prostate pays off!!" — Jon Cryer (Best Actor in a Comedy Series, Two and a Half Men)
“It's an incredible thrill to be nominated our first year out. When we wrote the pilot, we never imagined that the Television Academy would include us in the company of such extraordinary nominees. We're grateful for the acknowledgment and for having such great partners in Showtime and Fox 21." — Alex Gansa and Howard Gordon (creators and producers of Homeland)
"It's a great honor, though there should be parentheses next to my name with all of the SNL writers. And now I have to kiss up to the cast members of Modern Family in hopes that they pull a Ving Rhames and give me their award when they win." — Bill Hader (Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, Saturday Night Live)
“I am so thrilled to be nominated and even more happy for all the nominations for breaking bad and my fellow cast members. I am so thankful to the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. This is a dream job, so to receive a nomination for my work on Breaking Bad is truly a gift." — Aaron Paul (Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, Breaking Bad)
"I heard the news in my favorite way, because it’s now the way that I’ve always heard the news that I’ve been nominated, which is [from] my cousin, who lives in New York, who is like my sister. She called me. She’s the first one, she beats everyone else to the punch, and she’s like, ‘You’ve been nominated for an Emmy!’” Really, the first thing I thought was, I can’t believe it — which actually, I have to say, has been the first thought every time I’ve been nominated for an Emmy! It is full and complete disbelief and surprise." — Connie Britton (Best Leading Actress in a Miniseries or Movie, American Horror Story) "I am truly honored that the Academy has nominated me for an Emmy. The fact that Ed, Sofia, Jesse, Eric and my other wife, Julie, are also nominated makes this all the sweeter. I wish Bill and Max weren't such great guys, now I have to root for everyone and that's exhausting." — Ty Burrell (Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, Modern Family) "I am honored to be recognized by the Academy among such a talented group of women. I am thrilled that Damian, "Homeland," our amazing writers and director and so many others got nominated. It is a great day to be on set where we can all celebrate together." — Claire Danes (Best Leading Actress in a Drama Series, Homeland) “So happy to get nominated! Can't wait to get back to the Late Night office and celebrate! But first I gotta leave this theatre and change out of this Batman costume." — Jimmy Fallon (Best Variety Program, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and Best Guest Actor in a Comedy Series, Saturday Night Live) "I am really thrilled to be nominated for Hemingway and Gellhorn. I had such a great time working with the brilliant Phil Kaufman and the wonderful Nicole Kidman." — Clive Owen (Best Leading Actor in a Miniseries or Movie, Hemingway &amp; Gellhorn) "I'm thrilled to be nominated and if I win I promise to lower taxes. And I'm not just saying that. That's not an empty promise or an attempt to bribe the voters." — Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Best Actress in a Comedy Series, Veep) "I can't begin to express how exciting it is to be recognized alongside these extraordinary actresses. I love that I had the chance to play a character like Nicolle Wallace. She has this mix of political savvy and integrity that I found so interesting. I’m so thrilled "Game Change" was received so enthusiastically by the Academy." — Sarah Paulson (Best Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie, Game Change)
"I was just pulling up into work and I got a text from my sister, shortly followed by one from my publicist, and then I walked in and I saw they were showing Jimmy Kimmel in his pajamas on the news. It was awesome, and it was crazy! It’s so important to me, being a producer and having the show get nominated. It's just incredible. I’m so happy for everybody." — Carson Daly (host of The Voice) "I am absolutely in shock. I was 100% certain I was not getting nominated! It is to the credit of Chuck Lorre, Bill Prady, Steve Molaro and our amazing writers who gave Amy Farrah Fowler the words to make her so much a part of people's minds and hearts. I share this tremendously thrilling honor with them, our incredible cast and especially with Jim Parsons who I constantly borrow line-readings from." — Mayim Bialik (Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, The Big Bang Theroy)
"I am so incredibly honored to be nominated in this category with these amazing women. I admire each one of them and their performances so much; I just feel really flattered to be in their company. And of course I am so proud of the show and my family on Mad Men for each of their nominations. Each one of them is so deserved. I am so proud to be a part of this show and always will be." — Elisabeth Moss (Best Leading Actress in a Drama Series, Mad Men) "I'm thrilled to be included amongst one of Modern Family's 14 Emmy Nominations! I am celebrating with 10 georgous, tall, leggy showgirls. Not because that's how I roll but because I'm in rehearsal for The Producers at The Hollywood Bowl. Also, because I like to make Eric Stonestreet jealous." — Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, Modern Family) "I'm thrilled that the film is being recognized, and particularly, that so many people in the film have been recognized. You become close. I'm very fond of the people in this particular production. To see so many of them nominated, it's really cool....I think there are a lot of great actresses nominated in that category. It's actually a great year for movies and mini-series. But I would have to think that Julianne Moore, for my money, it wasn't the best performance of the year in movies and mini-series, I think it was one of the best performances of the year in anything. Movies, TV, theater — anything. One of those mind-boggling performances that everyone is floored by." — Danny Strong (writer and producer of Game Change, Best Miniseries or Movie) “I'm so excited to have been nominated for an Emmy, especially for 30 Rock, which is an incredible show and also for playing a deranged and deceased world dictator who has divided the small country of my origin in two. That's the best part. I think that's what I'd call iron curtain irony." — Margaret Cho (Best Guest Actress in a Comedy Series, 30 Rock)
"I'm beyond thrilled to be nominated -- it has even more depth of meaning now that the show is over and I won't get to speak Mark Cherry's brilliant lines again. I was overjoyed to see Kathy Joosten's posthumous Emmy nod as well. As Mary Alice would say, "Yes!" — Brenda Strong (Outstanding Voice-Over Performance, Desperate Housewives) [Photo Credit: ABC] More: 2012 Emmy Awards: See the Full List of Nominees! 2012 Emmy Awards Nominees: Our Predictions! 2012 Emmy Longshots: Our Picks!

For the first time this season on So You Think You Can Dance, we got a chance to check in with faces we recognized rather than strangers. Yes, ladies and gents: It was time for the most dramatic Vegas Week ever. Or, you know, this year.
It was time to truly step up as a star. Four days of non-stop drama, non-stop Broadway and jazz and hip-hop and ballroom and groups, and at the end of it all, we would finally—finally!— have our Top 20 finalists. And, in the process, we got to be reunited with four guest judges from this season, including Debbie Allen, Tyce Diorio, Adam Shankman and Lil C. Sadly, Jesse Tyler Ferguson was nowhere to be found. (Instead, gearing up for a probably Emmy nomination?)
The Exorcist was first up in Vegas. AH! I was so excited I couldn't breathe. I had been waiting for weeks to see this man again. His solo was even better the second time around, maybe Adam Shankman and Tyce Diorio’s tears helped boosted the drama of the situation. What a way to start the night! By the way, Hampton Williams is his real name. Fun fact! I never knew that.
Next up was Janelle Isis, the hip-hoppy belly dancer. Despite the fact that I was worried her giant golden skirt was going to eat her (so did she, apparently, because she discarded it mid-routine), I enjoyed her just as much this time around as I did back during the preliminaries. This girl has Top 20 written all over her. (A sight dirty old Uncle Nigel would likely enjoy seeing.)
After a very brief montage, we were informed that 1/4 of the field was cut during solos, but we didn't see any faces except for our Selena Gomez-loving martial arts hip hopper. Darn. I liked him, too. We were quickly shuffled along to hip-hop (Nigel is on a schedule here, people), where Comfort and Twitch promised to leave our contestants on the verge of cardiac arrest by the time they were ready to perform.
Then, the worst thing in the world happened: The Exorcist quit midway through the choreography. I. Was. Devastated. This season is now empty for me.
Alas, the show must go on, and it did. Many more of our specialists excused themselves as the choreography got too tough and too fast to handle. We even said goodbye to Andre, one of the guys from super awesome Alabama hip-hop crew Dragonhouse. Unlike The Exorcist, he excused himself without telling the judges. #classy
In the first group to perform for the judges, Andre’s crew-mate Boris was cut for falling short in what should've been his specialty. Oh well. At least he tried, unlike his buddy. Another casualty was the praying mantis guy from Salt Lake City. Can’t say I was upset about that one, though like-minded Sonya Tayeh likely was.
At the end of the hip-hop round, 97 contestants remained, including Cyrus, the one (and best) member of Dragonhouse still standing. After much deliberation, the judges decided to let him continue. Hooray!
NEXT: Tyce is disgusted. You won’t like Tyce when he’s disgusted. Or ever.Day 2 meant Broadway time, and the contestants were subjected to Tyce, who fed them a story about being in a club at 2 a.m. and drinking bad water and suddenly being infected with lust. And, cue music!
Midway through the round, we were reintroduced to Alexa Anderson, a Season 8 finalist who was the very last person cut in Vegas last year. The judges’ complaint: She was too stoic. Tyce looked disgusted as he watched every group during this round, but it reached a new level with Alexa. As the judges deliberated on her group’s performance, Adam paused to rip her an (unprovoked) new one in front of everyone for being "dead". On the inside? On the outside? He said he was sick of saving her and that she needed to start dancing like she wants this. That wasn’t over-the-top at all.
Nevertheless, the dramatics were all for show and she wasn't cut — yet.
Twenty-three more were sent packing at the end of the Broadway round, and then it was right on to jazz. (Sidenote: American Idol could learn a thing or two from this show about how to keep things moving.) The 82 left were turned over to Sonya, who urged our contestants to fight for their right to stay. Particularly defeated, at this point, was hip hopper Shafeek, who began throwing a tantrum midway through the choreography, walking around in circles and muttering that the routine was stupid. His partner, Danielle Dominguez — better known as bacon girl — couldn’t do anything to help him and instead chose to focus on her love for Sonya and her choreography. Also performing for the judges in this group was Rachel, the crazy burlesque girl from Salt Lake City whose goal in life is to resemble Blake Lively in The Town as closely as possible.
When the group finished, Nigel verbally assaulted Shafeek for showing that he messed up, and unsurprisingly, he was cut for attitudinal reasons. Rachel, however, was cut for being unpolished, but did that annoying begging-for-a-second-chance thing contestants tend to do on Simon Fuller shows. The difference is, on this one, they’re allowed to do it. All of the judges except Nigel and Adam voted to give her a chance to dance for her life.
Then, in a dramatic a twist of fate, Danielle Bacon Girl went back onstage to fill in and dance the female choreography, since more girls had been cut than guys. She was rewarded with a kick to the head, courtesy of her partner. He was understandably cut, and Danielle was evaluated by paramedics, who loaded her into an ambulance and took her away. Dun dun dun. To be continued…
One person I was not excited to see again was the very first contestant we encountered this season: Amelia, the wannabe silent movie star. She was ready to bite into the jazz like it was a “juicy steak.” Fortunately, to save the situation, Cyrus was also in her group.
NEXT: No more drama. As usual, the judges looked displeased watching them, and Amelia was sent on to the dance-for-your-life holding pen while Cyrus was the victim of a fake-out —Sonya told him he was in serious need of some contemporary dance classes before sending him through anyway. Hallelujah!
In the dance for your life special at the day’s end, Rachel promised to stay true to her burlesque style — oh joy — and she wore Tom Cruise’s Risky Business outfit while writhing around to “It’s a Man’s World.” I didn’t know there was anything that could make me dislike that song after what Joshua Ledet did to it, but I was mistaken. Did this girl do anything but strip and unbutton her shirt? Seriously. Apparently, all of the judges agreed with me. She got unanimous no’s for being all sex and no action.
Next up was Amelia, who made Adam cry, and at that moment I knew I would not yet be rid of her. To her credit, though, she was very good. Her balance and her technique were spectacularly on point, even if I still wasn’t a fan of her ridiculous “acting.” Every judge sent her though with rave reviews except Nigel, who was still skeptical that she could dance any routine that wasn’t choreographed by her.
Finally, it was time for the group round. Drama! The groups would pick a piece of music at random from a giant black bin of doom and have all night to work on a routine, and in a much-appreciated twist, they were allowed to pick their own groups of five or six.
First up on Day 3 was a group featuring our friend Danielle, who recovered from her head trauma after eight hours in the hospital. She was a late addition to one benevolent group, which had to start from scratch after spending two hours working together. They called it quits at about 4 a.m., and bright and early the next morning, they performed their routine to “Somebody I Used to Know,” which was disturbingly out of sync. Nigel told them point blank they were terrible. He said they should all be sent home, but of course he wouldn’t do that — and in a surprising twist of fate, he only cut Danielle and some other guy. A kick to the head and that’s how you repay her?
Midway through the day, the High Schoolers — four guys and pink-haired ballerina Audrey — were up, performing a prom-themed routine to a super-slow version of “I Wanna Dance With Somebody.” Though our female ballet dancer was clearly the star, her supporting cast was pretty impeccable. Tyce told them they were one of the best groups thus far and Nigel called them genius, particularly Audrey. All of them advanced.
The last group up featured three dancers who had previously made it to the end of Vegas Week — Alexa, of course, plus Dres from Season 8 and Adrian from Season 7. Alexa, in particular, was under pressure after suffering Adam’s verbal assault earlier in the week, and her group’s routine to “Glad You Came” provoked Tyce into making his homicidal-nausea face. Uh oh.
NEXT: Tyce is no longer enamored with beauty.Though Debbie said they were lovely, Tyce took another opportunity to destroy Alexa. He told her the lights were on but nobody was home and that he was no longer enamored with her beauty. Is this tough love or are these judges just a-holes? I hate it when they criticize people for not being loud and aggressive; homegirl can’t change her personality. The judges clapped for her when they finally made her cry — You finally showed emotion!, they cooed — which sent an excellent message to our viewers at home. And then, after all of the drama, the judges put all of them through.
In the second-to-last round of choreography — ballroom time — Jason Gilkison subjected the remaining guinea pigs to the Cha-cha. After jumping through so many hoops, Cyrus finally started doubting himself in this round, and it finally hurt him: Everyone in his group advanced, but he was relegated to dance-for-your-life purgatory.
Next up was a collection of contestants featuring Aubrey, our genius prom dancer from the group rounds. I swear she was wearing a bra and a tutu, but the judges didn’t seem to be bothered by that. They were, however, bothered by her lack of proficiency with the routine, and she was axed. It’s amazing how you can go from such a high high to such a low low on this show.
Alexa was under more pressure than anyone in this round, since this is where she crumbled last year. She finally came alive, prompting catcalls and euphoric cheers from the judges throughout the routine. Jason told her she was one of the best of the day and she was sent through with flying colors. Yay, she said in her internal Daria voice.
At the end of the round, Cyrus was ready to dance for his life. He was in the zone. Nerves were nonexistent, and his LeBron fire came out to play. The untrained street dancer did an excellent job of reminding the judges of what makes him so unique; now that The Exorcist is gone, there’s truly no one else who moves like him. He had his fellow contestants in the audience standing and screaming and pounding the seats in front of them, and yeah, me, too. He got unanimous yeses and didn’t smile once throughout the verdict. Totally LeBron in Game 7.
The remaining 52 dancers had just one more challenge to endure: contemporary with Travis Wall. They had one hour to learn the steps, and after Nigel told them they wouldn’t learn their fates until the end of the day, it was time to really dance for their lives.
We literally got about 30 seconds of footage of the actual dancing (there were no cuts, and therefore no reason to see any talent, obviously), and then it was judgment hour. One-third of the dancers were pushed through, including Amelia (yawn) and Cyrus (yay!). Another collection of contestants had to repeat the choreography so Nigel &amp; Co. could make some final decisions.
NEXT: SYTYCD’s answer to Symone Black.One of the on-the-fence candidates was Mariah Spears, the super-cool krumper from the Salt Lake City auditions. My heart was shattered even further when she was cut. First The Exorcist, now this? Dude.
With those cuts made, it was time for one final round of solos, and it was here that we received our token injury moment, SYTYCD’s answer to Symone Black, also known as the girl who fell off the stage during Hollywood Week on Idol. Contemporary specialist Joshua Alexander attempted to do a back flip and fell flat the floor, and after his spotter (good job, bud) nervously mumbled, “He’s not moving,” we heard someone off-camera yell, “Call a medic!” The closest camera guy thought about it — he reached into his pocket for his phone — then abandoned the idea in the name of getting some quality footage. What would we viewers do without these intrepid photogs?
We were left hanging with regards to his fate as Alexa took the stage in the main auditorium. While she performed a haunting classical-contemporary hybrid routine, Debbie mumbled, “This child could win.”
The last contestant of the night was the Robin Thicke lookalike from Week 1, whose classical choreography and interspersed acrobatics made the judges ooh and ahh like they were watching someone play with a ring of fire without burning himself. Legitimately. It was like we were watching Olympic dancing. Robin Thicke received a well-deserved standing O.
As all of the boys were corralled back onstage at Nigel’s command for one last round of cuts, we said goodbye to was Adrian, our Season 7 vet, who was the very last person cut two years ago. Then, it was time for the girls, and we bid farewell to… no one! All the girls would remain in the running for next week’s final final cuts.
And at the end of Vegas Week, we’re down to 35. Who are you pulling for in next week’s top 20 announcement show? Whose departure devastated you? How eager are you to learn of the unfortunate backflipper’s fate?
[Image Credit: FOX]
More:
So You Think You Can Dance Recap: Last Stop, Salt Lake City
So You Think You Can Dance Recap: Hotlanta!
So You Think You Can Dance Host Cat Deeley: 10 Things You Didn’t Know

There aren't too many career paths you can explore when your entire résumé consists of gigs selling methamphetamines. You'd think that "religious figure" and "government operative" would be no-go situations, but surprisingly, one of television's most embraced drug dealers is pursuing a future (technically, a past) in both: Deadline reports that Aaron Paul, who plays the beloved Breaking Bad character Jesse Pinkman, is considering the lead on the new HBO drama pilot The Missionary, from writer Charles Randolph (The Life of David Gale, Love and Other Drugs).
On the show, Paul will play a missionary (that's why they call it that!) based in Berlin who gets involved with the CIA during the Cold War. This is kind of a 180 from his character on the AMC sensation, who is, what some might call, a listless dirtbag. But that doesn't mean that Paul hasn't picked up a few moves from Pinkman that might come in handy in the special ops world (Breaking Bad spoilers ahead)...
Undercover Work
During Jesse's "darkest" period (and that's saying something), he infiltrated a drug addict support group, posing as a fellow rehabilitator, to find new clientele for his meth-selling business. If he can apply that practice to gathering government info, Paul might fare well in the CIA.
Code Names
When fans first met Jesse, he was known around the streets of ABQ as "Cap'n Cook," famous for his pepper-laced brand of crystal meth. Considering his association with the likes of Heisenberg, Krazy-8, Combo, and Skinny Pete, Paul is pretty experienced in the world of code names.
Survival Skills
Breaking Bad creator/showrunner Vince Gilligan's original plan was to kill Jesse Pinkman off in the first season. However, at some point, Gilligan realized that the character (and its performer) were vital to the spirit of the show. You've lived on for three (and counting) years past your expiration date, Jesse. This skill will serve you well in the battle fields.
Murder
Jesse, you poor, misguided soul. How did a talented illustrator and a... well-meaning high school graduate get wrapped up in a game so dark and heavy, that he was actually posed with pulling the trigger on an innocent bystander, just to save his potentially homicidal partner in crime? Needless to say, this kind of cold-hearted killing that'll help Paul fit right in with the men in black.
Breaking Bad begins its fifth season on July 15 at 10 PM on AMC.
Jesse Pinkman
[Photo Credit: David Edwards/Daily Celeb]
More:
The Final Season of 'Breaking Bad' Is a Giant Lie
'Breaking Bad' Two-Part Season: What Needs to Be Resolved Before Break
2012 TCA Award Nominations Include 'Breaking Bad', 'Homeland'

At the moment there are few greater clichés in the media than the freaking out single woman on the cusp of 30. Of course clichés are clichés for a reason worth exploring even through the lens of just one or two women as in Lola Versus. Unfortunately while the intention behind Lola Versus isn't that we should all be happily married by the age of 30 it still fits into the same rubric of all those "Why You're Not Married" books.
Lola (Greta Gerwig) has a gorgeous fiancé Luke (Joel Kinnaman) and they live in a giant loft together the kind of dreamy NYC real estate that seems to exist primarily in the movies. Just as they're planning their gluten-free wedding cake with a non-GMO rice milk-based frosting Luke dumps her. It's cruelly sudden — although Luke isn't a cruel man. Lola finds little comfort in the acerbic wit of her best friend the eternally single Alice (Zoe Lister-Jones) who is probably delighted to see her perfectly blonde best friend taken down a peg and into the murky world of New York coupling. Lola and Luke share a best friend Henry (Hamish Linklater) a messy-haired rumpled sweetheart who is kind and safe and the inevitable shelter for Lola's fallout. Her parents well-meaning and well-to-do hippie types feed her kombucha and try to figure out their iPads and give her irrelevant advice.
Lola Versus is slippery. Its tone careens between broad TV comedy and earnest dramedy almost as if Alice is in charge of the dirty zingers and Lola's job is to make supposedly introspective statements. Alice's vulgar non-sequiturs are tossed off without much relish and Lola's dialogue comes off too often as expository and plaintive. We don't need Lola to tell Henry "I'm vulnerable I'm not myself I'm easily persuaded" or "I'm slutty but I'm a good person!" (Which is by the way an asinine statement to make. One might even say she's not even that "slutty " she's just making dumb decisions that hurt those around her just as much as she's hurting herself.)
We know that she's a mess — that's the point of the story! It's not so much that a particularly acerbic woman wouldn't say to her best friend "Find your spirit animal and ride it until its d**k falls off " but that she wouldn't say it in the context of this movie. It's from some other movie over there one where everyone is as snarky and bitter as Alice. You can't have your black-hearted comedy and your introspective yoga classes. Is it really a stride forward for feminism that the clueless single woman has taken the place of the stoner man-child in media today? When Lola tells Luke "I'm taken by myself. I've gotta just do me for a while " it's true. But it doesn't sound true and it doesn't feel true.
In one scene Lola stumbles on the sidewalk and falls to the ground. No one asks her if she's okay or needs help; she simply gets up on her own and goes on her way. It's a moment that has happened to so many people. It's humiliating and so very public but of course you just gotta pick yourself up and get where you're going. In this movie it's a head-smackingly obvious metaphor. In one of the biggest missteps of the movie Jay Pharoah plays a bartender that makes the occasional joke while Lola is waiting tables at her mom's restaurant. His big line at the end is "And I'm your friend who's black!" It would have been better to leave his entire character on the cutting room floor than attempt such a half-hearted wink at the audience.
Lister-Jones and director Daryl Wein co-wrote the screenplay for Lola Versus as they did with 2009's Breaking Upwards. Both films deal with the ins and outs of their own romantic relationship in one way or another. Breaking Upwards a micro-budget indie about a rough patch in their relationship was much more successful in tone and direction. Lola Versus has its seeds in Lister-Jones' experience as a single woman in New York and is a little bit farther removed from their experiences. Lola Versus feels like a wasted opportunity. Relatively speaking there are so few movies getting made with a female writer or co-writer that it almost feels like a betrayal to see such a tone-deaf portrayal of women onscreen. What makes it even more disappointing is how smart and likable everyone involved is and knowing that they could have made a better movie.